1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system and more particularly pertains to creating individual containers, packets and capsules of particulate matter such as medicine, soap and the like in a safe and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of packaging systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, packaging systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of creating containers for particulate matter through conventional methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,578 to Zook relates to a filter valve system for regulating, filtering, and dispensing a flow of hot melt materials and adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,473 to Tanner relates to film forming compositions comprising modified starches and iota-carragreenan and methods for manufacturing soft capsules using same. U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,237 to Kearney relates to the formation of indicia in the base of a blister pack for transference to a body cast therein. U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,631 to Zook relates to a hot melt adhesive applicator.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system that allows creating individual containers, packets and capsules of particulate matter such as medicine, soap and the like in a safe and economical manner.
In this respect, the sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of creating individual containers, packets and capsules of particulate matter such as medicine, soap and the like in a safe and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system which can be used for creating individual containers, packets and capsules of particulate matter such as medicine, soap and the like in a safe and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of packaging systems of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a precision controlled output master supply assembly. The master supply assembly includes a horizontal base. The horizontal base receives a 35 to 200 gallon drum. The drum contains a polymer liquid or solid. The polymer is solid or liquid at ambient conditions, but when heated or treated with thermal conditions becomes a flowable material. The flowable material is used for forming a film and for cohesion. The drum has a first height and a first diameter. The drum has a platen. The platen is provided in a circular configuration. The platen has an upper surface and a lower surface. In general, the platen is fabricated of stainless steel and/or other applicable materials depending on the application. The platen has a second diameter. The second diameter is slightly less than the first diameter. The platen is positionable in the drum upon the surface of the polymer. The platen has a heating component. The platen further has an upper surface. The platen has outlet orifices. The platen has a lower surface. The lower surface is provided in a generally cone-shaped configuration. Spaced inlet orifices are provided. Passageways are further provided through the platen from the inlet orifices to the outlet orifices. In this manner polymer may pass through. A positive displacement pump is provided. The positive displacement pump is single or dual output. The pump is positioned on the upper surface of the platen. In this manner movement with the platen is provided. Positive feeding of polymer is also provided in this manner. Four equally spaced support rods are provided. The support rods are vertically disposed. The lower ends are slidably receiving the platen. An upper platform is provided. The upper platform has apertures. The apertures are provided for the passage of the support rods. A pair of laterally disposed guide rods are provided. The guide rods are provided parallel with the support rods-but located exterior of the drum. The support rods have associated supports. The associated supports have apertures. The apertures receive the rods. A cross brace is provided. The cross brace couples the upper ends of the support rods and the guide rods. In this manner the vertical reciprocation of the platen is effected downwardly corresponding to the exterior usage of the polymer.
An intermediate transfer assembly is provided. The transfer assembly includes a horizontal base. The horizontal base receives a bottom inlet 3 to 100 gallon heated and jacketed pail. A heated platen is provided. A heated component is provided in the heated platen. The heated platen has an upper surface. The upper surface has two outlet orifices. The heated platen also has a lower surface. The lower surface is provided in a generally cone-shaped configuration. The lower surface has spaced inlet orifices. Passageways are provided through the platen. The passageways are provided from the inlet orifices to the outlet orifices. In this manner the passage of polymer is allowed. The transfer assembly also includes a dual outlet pump, a double elevator, and a control assembly.
Provided next is a polymer dispensing assembly. The polymer dispensing assembly includes two in line dual state cleanable filter assemblies. Each filter assembly has an inlet and outlet. The polymer dispensing assembly also includes two filter elements and a central heated cleanable filter body.
A polymer handling assembly is provided next. The polymer handling assembly includes two dies. The dies are of similar configuration. Each of the dies has a mounting plate. Each of the dies has a distribution plate. The distribution plate is parallel with the mounting plate. The distribution plate has an upper edge. The upper edge has an aperture. The aperture receives liquid polymer. A heater plate is provided. The heater plate has an insulator dielectric plate. The insulator dielectric plate is provided between the heater and the mounting plate. A shim is provided in an inverted U-shaped configuration or any shape that might be required by the application. The shim is provided adjacent to the distribution plate. An extrusion face is provided between the shim and the heater. All the plates have a generally rectilinear configuration. All the plates further have an upper edge, a lower edge and side edges between the upper and lower edges. In this manner polymer may be fed through the distribution plate through the opening in the shim. The polymer handling assembly also includes a pair of roller conveyors. The roller conveyors are rotatable above parallel axes. The exterior surfaces of the roller conveyors are immediately beneath the shim. Also included in the polymer handling assembly is a pair of rotary cohesion dies. The rotary cohesion dies have axes. The axes of the rotary cohesion dies are parallel with each other and the axes of the roller conveyor located between the roller conveyors. The rotary cohesion dies are in closely spaced relationship with each other with circumferential pressure surfaces. The polymer handling assembly further includes a positive displacement pumping device. The pumping device provides dial-in incremental, thermal and precise dosage control. The pumping device is located above the rotary cohesion dies. In this manner the periodic dispensing of particulate materials between packets formed with the solidification of the polymer moving between the rotary cohesion dies is allowed.
Further provided are sanitary primary thermal hoses. These primary hoses are provided between the precision controlled master output supply assembly and the intermediate transfer assembly. A pair of second hoses is provided. The second pair of hoses is provided between the intermediate transfer station and the polymer dispensing and handling assembly. The hoses include cleanable sanitary supply tubes. The supply tubes are fabricated of a flexible material. The tubes have braided metallic wire on their exterior surfaces. An electrical heating wire is provided. The wire is wrapped around the exterior surface of the supply tube. An electrical insulator is provided over the supply tube.
Provided last is a control assembly. The control assembly couples the precision controlled output master supply assembly and the polymer dispensing and handling assembly. In this manner the continuous and automatic control of the speed of the sanitary pump, the rate of rotation of the rollers, the heat of the tubes, the platen and the dies is provided.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system which has all of the advantages of the prior art packaging systems of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale, thereby making such sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system economically available.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system for creating individual containers, packets and capsules of particulate matter such as medicine, soap and the like in a safe and economical manner.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sanitary precision polymer film casting and dispersion injection system. An output supply assembly includes a horizontal base. The base receives a container of a flowable material. A platen is positionable in the container. A pump feeds the flowable material from the container. A precision dispensing and handling assembly is provided. The dispensing and handling assembly includes two film-forming dies of similar configuration. Flowable material may be fed through the assembly to form film. A pair of film-movers are beneath the film-forming dies. A pair of cohesion dies are provided beneath the film-movers. An injector is located above the film-movers. In this manner the periodic dispensing of particulate material is allowed. Containers are formed upon the solidification of the flowable material moving between the cohesion dies. A pair of thermal sanitary hoses is provided between the output supply and the dispensing and handling assembly. A control system couples the output supply and the dispensing and handling assemblies.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.